Incandescent-lamp base.



H. S. HUNTER.

INGANDESCENT LAMP BASE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1911.

Patented May 28, 1912.

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INCANDESCENT-LAMP BASE.

Application filed'September 12, 1911.

' East Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incandescent- Lamp Bases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bases for incandescent electric lamps, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which will permit of the ready application of the lamp to its screw shell, whereby the lamp is adapted to be secured within a lamp socket, and which also permits of the removal of the lamp from the shell, when the filament is burned out or destroyed, without injury to either lamp or shell, thereby obviating the necessity of discarding the shell with the lamp and providing anew shell for each lamp made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a base which will flexibly supportthe lamp in any position in which it is mounted for use, and take up all jars and vibrations to which the lamp and shell are subjected, thus preventing or reducing to a minimum liability of breakage of the lamp filament and prolonging the life of the lamp.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom panying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a lamp base embodying my invention, the lamp stub appearing in elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the lamp stub taken on a line through the projecting lugs.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the bulb of an incandescent lamp of that type closed at its reduced end by a porcelain filling 2, and a tapered metallic cap 3, forming a stub at the base of the bulb. The stub is adapted to fit within a shell 4:, screw threaded to engage the lamp receiving socket, said shell being closed at its outer end by a tip 5 of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material. Soldered or otherwise suitably secured within the shell and resting against the porcelain tip 5 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Serial No. 648,879.

ring or annular member 6, of sheet metal or other conducting material. Carried by this ring or annular member is an annular series of spring fingers 7 adapted to bear upon the cap 3 and to yieldingly support the lamp within the screw shell, to permit relative lateral movements between the shell and lamp in all directions, whereby all shocks, jars and vibrations to which the lamp may be subjected in use will be taken up, thus preventing breakage of the lamp filament. Preferably, the springs 7 are longitudinally curved, so that the central portions thereof will bear against the cap 3, while the free ends thereof are outturned to form a flaring space for the ready insertion and removal of the stub of the lamp.

Formed upon the cap 3 at diametrically opposite sides are outwardly inclined lugs or projections 8, which are adapted to en gage lugs or projections 9 formed upon the porcelain tip 5, the arrangement being such that one of the lugs 3 bears against the adjacent side of the contiguous lug 9, while the other lug 8 bears against the opposite side of the other lug 9. By this construction a connection between the lamp body and shell is provided which permits ready endwise insertion or removal of the lamp body, while adapting it to turn in either direction with the shell as a unit, thereby enabling the shell with the lamp body to be screwed into or out of the receiving socket. It will thus be understood that provision is made to enable the lamp body to be removed from the shell when the lamp filament is burned out, and a new lamp body to be substituted therefor, thus obviating the necessity of discarding the shell and providing a separate shell for each lamp socket,whereby economy of manufacture and use is secured.

The tip 5 is formed with a passage 10 through which extends one end of a wire or other flexible conducting connection 11, carrying a center contact 12 adapted to engage the center contact of the socket, through which electrical connectlon is made with one side .of the lamp circuit, the connection with the other side being through the cap 3, spring fingers 7 ring or annular member 9 and shell 4, as will be readily understood. The connection 11 extends through a perforation 1n the end of the cap 3 and is provided between its ends with a coiled or extensible portion 13,

l by which a relative, limited, longitudinal amount of play or motion between the lamp body and shell is permitted to further take up and absorb all jars, shocks and vibrat-lOllS. It will be understood that any other suitable type of flexible connection adapted to perform this function may be employed, and that the flexible connection cooperates with the spring fingers to sustain the lamp body when hung in a pendent position. It will be observed that the lugs 8 and 9 are of tapering form, the sides of the lugs 10 being undercutso as to provide for a ready engagement between the sides of the lugs to form the connection for a ready movement between the lamp body and shell, such construction further preventing any possibility of the slipping of the lugs upon each other.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be apparent that my invention provides a base for incandescent electric lamps which permit of the ready application of the lamp to its screw shell and its removal therefrom for the purposes described, and which permits the lamp to be flexibly supported in a ready and effective manner, the construction being such as to adapt the lamp and shell to be disconnected without injury to either one of them.

Having thus described I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a lamp body having a stub provided with a terminal, and having lugs projecting from said terminal, of a screw shell provided with a non-conducting tip, lugs within the shell engaging the invention, what Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by afidressing the the lugs upon the conducting terminal of the lamp body, spring fingers for flexibly supporting said lamp body within the shell, a conducting terminal carried by the nonconducting tip of the shell, and a flexible connection between the stem and the lamp bod 2. The combination with a lamp body provided with a conducting terminal, a screw shell, a non-conducting tip upon the shell, lugs formed upon the tip and engaging the lugs upon the conducting terminal of the lamp body, spring fingers in the electric connection with the shell adapted to bear upon said conducting terminal to flexibly support the body within the shell, a conducting terminal carried by the nonconducting connec ti on between the stem and the lamp body.

3. The combination with a lamp body having a stub portion provided with a conducting terminal, of outwardly diverging lugs carried by said conducting terminal, a screw shell, a non-conducting tip carried by the shell and provided with lugs engaging the lugs on said conducting terminal, a ring secured to the shell and provided with curved spring fingers engaging the conducting terminal of the lamp body, a conducting member bearing upon the non-conducting tip, and a flexible conducting connection be tween the stem'and the lamp body.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOT VARD S. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

FoUs'r E. lVoonwARo, CHARLES T. WITT.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

